


What Are You?

by Xelias



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Real World, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Alternate Universe - Sports, Character(s) of Color, Gen, Homosexuality, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xelias/pseuds/Xelias
Summary: Soft spoken, reserved, and thoughtful Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi is a 3rd year transfer student to Coruscant University. If it weren't for his emotional support dog, Artoo, Obi-Wan would be completely alone in the college town of Hoth, Maine. Things go from bad to worse as Obi-Wan is thrust into an unexpected room change where he meets hot-shot performing arts major Anakin Skywalker. The two quickly realize that their lifestyles conflict in the worst ways possible. Despite their differences, Obi-Wan finds himself yearning for Anakin to return to their dorm after his hockey practices. Obi-Wan's unrequited feelings intensify over the course of the semester, even after he meets hockey players Rex and Cody, Anakin's childhood best friend Ahsoka Tano, and romantic rival Padmé Amidala. Determined to focus on his work, Obi-Wan pushes down his mounting feelings for Anakin, but something in him can't shake the feeling that Anakin's hands belong in his own.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	1. Stain

**Author's Note:**

> This work will *hopefully* be updated once or twice a week. Some characters have been aged down but remain of age (19+).  
> If you have any issues with how characters of color or characters of the LGBTQ+ community are represented in this story, please let me know! I want to be as inclusive as possible, but sadly, there are still some things I may overlook/miss as a white person.  
> -Xelias

"What"  
The chalkboard screeched slightly.  
"Are  
White, dusty marks and swirls appeared on the weathered board.  
"You"  
The word "YOU" stood out on the chalkboard, the old professor twirled the stump of chalk in-between his index and middle fingers. His striking blue eyes scanned the students hunched in their seats. The students averted their eyes, like the Grecian warriors avoiding the wrath of Medusa.  
Ben turned to stone.  
"Obi-Wan, is it?" Professor Jinn pointed at the crumpled form of Ben Kenobi. His auburn hair was uncharacteristically frazzled, his sweater messy and stained, and his leather shoes untied.  
All in all, he looked a mess.  
"Um, actually," Ben cleared his throat awkwardly, his hands beginning to sweat, "I-I go by Ben". Professor Jinn nodded, making a mental note. He studied the student who sat in the middle of the lecture hall. Clearly, he was already out of his element. Anxious, sweating, looking a mess, Ben was obviously ill-prepared to be in the class at that moment in time, let alone answer the question he had posed.  
"Well Ben," Professor Jinn took a step towards him, "What are you?" 

Ben hesitated, his gaze falling to his hands. The marred skin around his nails stung as he tried to formulate a reasonable answer. He had been so nervous that he had chewed on them as soon as he sat down.  
"I, um," He began, "I suppose I'm just a person?" The answer came out fumbled and uncertain. Professor Jinn raised a thick eyebrow in question.  
"You suppose?" He mused, a flicker of amusement shone in his eyes as the side of his mouth quirked upward. Ben's face flushed. His leg began to tremble.  
"I-"  
"Mr. Kenobi," Professor Jinn interrupted, "If you are unsure of your own being, your own existence, then I highly suggest you figure it out." A few snickers resounded in the lecture wide lecture hall but were silenced with a sharp look from Jinn. Ben tightened his jaw.  
'Idiot' Ben cursed to himself, 'You're an idiot for sitting here. Did you honestly think he wasn't going to notice you?'  
The lecture hall was a spacious room with six long rows. The rows could hold at least 25 people, Ben had approximated. Normally, he would have known how many seats were in the rows exactly because he would have been early to class and would have had the time to count them. That wasn't the case today. Ben sighed, giving himself a rare reprieve.  
'It's not like it was really your fault,' A kind voice in the back of his head soothed him, 'There weren't any other seats left when you got here'  
Professor Jinn had continued to pose the question - _What are you?_ \- to others in the class, but Ben just let the voices of his classmates and his professor merge into one. The noise became distant. The events of that morning had begun to replay in Ben's mind over and over and over again. He should've done something differently. He shouldn't have gotten such a large cup of coffee. He shouldn't have gotten coffee at all. If he hadn't, maybe his sweater wouldn't have a blotch of brown on the front. Maybe he would've been to class on time. Perhaps, Ben thought, he would've even answered Jinn's question in a concise manner. Ben's gaze slid to the key he had tossed on the table at the beginning of class. He grimaced. That key. It should have been someone else's, not his. He should have gotten a key to his room, a key that would open a door to his room with his roommate and his bed. Instead, Obi-Wan Kenobi got a different key. A key that led to him.

"Oh my god" Ben froze, his hand outstretched to grab a coffee cup that was already on the ground. He didn't feel the burning of the freshly spilt coffee seeping through his sweater. The only thing that Ben was concerned about what the enormous, obnoxious, light brown stain in the very center of the white jersey that stood across from him in the doorway.  
"I am so so sorry," Ben sputtered as he pocketed the dorm key that the Coruscant University administrator handed to him a few moments ago. The short, curly haired lady had peered at him through thin purple glasses as she announced that his intended roommate would no longer be attending the institution. Therefore, he would be moving into a new dorm with a new roommate. Ben had simply shrugged, albeit a little nervously. He hadn't known his other roommate, so it didn't really matter that he would get a new one.  
He didn't imagine that he would be meeting him so soon. Or like this.  
"Here," Ben's roommate spoke gently, "Let me get that"  
The tall, brown haired man bent down gingerly and scooped up the fallen coffee cup. Coffee dripped down onto the blue carpet beneath them. Ben's face heated.  
"No," Ben breathed as he snatched the cup away from his roommate, "Really, I am so sorry, I can take that. You shouldn't have to clean this mess up, it was my fault,"  
His roommate had just shrugged.  
"It isn't a big deal," He said, pulling the bottom of his jersey out in front of him to examine the damage, "It's just a piece of clothing, and my mom sent a stain pen, so it should-" Ben stopped listening as soon as saw the look plastered on his face. While his demeanor was calm and reassuring, the devastation shone in those pale blue eyes. Ben's heart sunk.  
"I can-" He started to offer, but was cut off as a whine sounded behind him. Ben turned and looked at the small Pomeranian sitting behind him. The knot in his stomach loosened slightly.  
"Was that a dog?"  
Before Ben could answer, his roommate had pushed himself out of the doorway and into the hallway. His lips parted in awe as he took in the fluffy, golden dog in front of him.  
"My. God." His roommate breathed, "Dude, that's the cutest thing I've ever fucking seen." Ben smiled. He wasn't sure if it was the sense of pride in his canine companion that made him do so, or if it was the way that the tall, built man's face morphed from a mask of devastation to pure joy in an instant. "This is Artoo," Ben told him, "He's my ESA"  
His roommate just blinked, his head cocked at an angle.  
"Emotional support animal," Ben explained bluntly  
"The _best_ ESA!" His roommate exclaimed, dropping to his knees and scooping the dog into his lap. His almost shoulder length hair bobbed about as he coddled and pet Artoo. Ben felt a slight smile form on his face. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and started pushing a box of his belongings into the room. His roommate paid him no mind as he continued to devote himself to caring for Artoo. The Pomeranian had rolled onto his back, showing off a fluffy, golden belly. A tiny, pastel pink tongue lolled out of the dog's mouth. The roommate, now hunched over the dog on his knees, let out a squeal.

"Artoo," He spoke softly, just out of Ben's range, "I know we just met, but I would _die_ for you"

Ben made it into his room and swiftly threw the soaked coffee cup into the trash. The dorm room had a floor made up of blue and cream tiles, fitting the university's color scheme. Ben wasn't a huge fan of the color blue. He had thought it was a bit redundant. _Everyone's_ favorite color seemed to be blue, so there was no escaping it. Ben supposed that it was just something he would have to get used to. As he pushed the box of belongings into the dorm, he realized just how cramped it was. The beds were pushed together at the end of the room, the headboards of the bed placed back to back. Ben cringed and took of his satchel, placing it on the empty desk. Slowly, he surveyed the room around him. The beds were on the far side of the room under the only window, which extended close to the ceiling. One desk took up the floor space on the wall to his left, adjacent to the bed that he assumed was his based on the fact that it was empty. The opposite side of the room had another desk, which was filled to the brim with scraps of papers, sports medallions, open books, and a fish tank. The bed belonging to his roommate was in a similar state. Clothes were scattered on the grey sheets of the bed, where a single black fleece blanket lay balled up at the end of the frame. Two short dressers had been shoved underneath both beds. Ben spied a half empty bottle tucked away behind his roommate's dressers. He rolled his eyes, and turned to the last wall of the room, or lack thereof. The space was cleared for a closet area, where his roommate had hung no clothes, but instead filled to the brim with a minifridge, microwave, and various snacks, sodas, and a tv balanced precariously on a stand that was obviously too small.  
Ben pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.  
'Ugh,' He sniffed the air, 'It stinks in here...' His gaze fell to the pile of socks in the corner of his roommate's side of the room and...god, was that underwear? Ben swallowed the bile rising in his throat. Shaking his head, he started towards the window.  
"No!" A sharp cry rang out in the room, followed by a small yap from Artoo. Ben whirled and faced his roommate. The shaggy-haired man stood in the center of the room, coffee stain prominent on his white jersey, and Artoo in his arms. Ben put his hands up, surrendering.  
"Whoa, okay okay," He breathed, trying to calm his racing heart, "I'm sorry, it just, um, I just thought that we could use some fresh air?" His roommate rolled his eyes, setting Artoo down gently.  
"If you can't tell," His roommate drawled as he walked over to his desk and sat down, "I'm _trying_ to get into character". Ben stopped, lowering his hands. Even Artoo stopped and stared unblinking at the roommate. Ben broke the silence,  
"Character?" The roommate blew air from his mouth.  
"We haven't really met, have we?" He asked, looking Ben up and down. Ben's face flushed and he tried to stand a little straighter. The roommate smirked.  
"Anakin Skywalker," He introduced, "Performing arts major". Ben blinked.  
"Is that the character or is that you?" He asked, fidgeting his fingers at his side. Anakin laughed, throwing his tan head back in his seat. His Adam's apple bulged slightly on his neck as he laughed. Ben felt a heat rise in his chest and awkwardly took the back of his neck in his hand.  
"That's me," Anakin replied, straining to hold in a wide smile, "My character's name is Bastard Bartleby though. He's an alcoholic ship yard attendant, so I've been trying to get my-I mean, _our_ room to be something like his own". Ben just stood there, staring at his roommate-Anakin- and marveled at how he didn't realize the absurdity of his project. He realized how silent the room had gotten.  
"Oh," Ben started, "well, that um, that's understandable". 

Silence.

Artoo huffed, as if to say, _You're definitely doing a great job so far_. Anakin beamed at the dog.  
'At least Artoo made a good first impression' Ben thought glumly as he walked over to the box of his belongings. He started to unpack his books ranging from philosophy to anthropology and sat them on the corner of his desk gently. A part of him told him to be as quiet as possible. He didn't know why, but Ben thought that he was already a being a disturbance to Anakin.  
'I mean, you are a week late,' Ben reminded himself, 'The semester started last Wednesday, so he's been alone this whole time'.  
A distant sound caught his attention. Ben turned his head.  
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" He asked Anakin, who had been staring at him for god knew how long.  
"Yeah," Anakin spoke softly, as though he too thought that he was being a disturbance himself, "I wanted to know your name. I mean," He laughed, and gestured to the state of the room,  
"You've met Bastard Bartleby and I, and I've met Artoo, but I haven't met my actual roommate". Ben felt his heart skip a beat.  
"Oh, geez, I'm really sorry, I should've started with that," Ben rambled, "You must think I'm some sort of rambling klutz that just ran into you and then started unpacking in your room and-"  
"Hey, Glasses," Anakin interrupted, "Slow down, it's-" Ben ripped his glasses off his face instantly.  
"Is there something wrong with them?" He asked, his voice laced with panic, "I haven't changed them or cleaned them for while and-"

Suddenly, soft yet smothering fur was forced into his face.

Ben stepped back only to see Anakin holding Artoo out in his hands, his face laced with panic. Ben stopped for a moment, taking in what he was seeing.  
"What're you doing?" He finally asked. Anakin lowered Artoo slightly, the dog panting and wagging his fluffy tail back and forth.  
"He's an ESA," Anakin explained, "Isn't he supposed to like, calm you down?" Ben couldn't help but laugh.  
"He does," Ben said incredulously, "But not when he's smothering me to death!" Anakin rolled his eyes and put Artoo down onto the floor, where he promptly walked away from the two of them and hopped onto Ben's unmade bed. Anakin crossed his arms.  
"I was just trying to help," He scoffed, "Whatever". Ben's stomach turned to lead as Anakin turned and sat at his desk.  
'Good job, asshole,' Ben cursed at himself, 'You officially got your roommate to hate you, and he doesn't even know your name yet.' Silently, Ben turned and faced the box of his belongings. For a moment, he debated just packing his books back into the box and leaving.  
'No,' He resolved, 'You are _not_ giving up. Not again'

He pulled out another book and set it down on the growing stack. Book after book, he finally got to his clothes, and then after some time, he finally got to the bottom of the box. Ben's brows furrowed as a small slip of paper at the bottom of the box caught his eye. He looked around the room for a moment. Anakin sat at the desk still, not paying Ben any attention whatsoever. Instead, he just stared down at a book that had complex drawings of airplanes in it. Occasionally, he would look up and smile at the goldfish in the rectangular tank balanced on the top of his desk. Artoo was sleeping soundly on Ben's bed, which was now covered in various sheets, blankets, and a few pillows. Ben's face heated again as he realized just how much bedding he had in comparison to Anakin. He didn't know why, but Ben felt silly and almost child-like for having so many blankets and pillows. He shook his head, remembering the small paper. He turned back to the box and picked out the slip. Ben's face softened as he recognized the handwriting.

_You've overcome so many hardships over the past few years. I know you're worried about failing and you miss the people who've hurt you, but despite all of it, you've never stopped working hard. It's time for you to find the people you want to be with and for you to figure out who you are. I love you kiddo.  
Love,  
Mom_

Ben took the note, held it tightly in his hand for a moment, trying to send his essence to his mother.  
'I love you too,' He thought. Ben hoped that she knew. He hoped that she knew how much he truly loved her. After everything that had happened, Ben felt like there were millions of reasons that she had to not love him. Silently, he slid the note into his pocket.

  
"Yo, Glasses,"  
Ben turned, facing Anakin.  
'So, I guess we're back on speaking terms' Ben thought to himself.  
"Don't you have classes or anything?" Anakin asked, "I mean, I know you came here a week late but-"

Ben froze.

Before Anakin could say another word, Ben had grabbed his satchel and ran out the door.

That's how Ben found himself sitting in the middle of Professor Jinn's _Philosophy of the Self_ class with a stained sweater, frazzled hair, and horrible self-esteem for the day.  
_What are you?_  
Ben looked to the front of the class and made eye contact with Professor Jinn. The old man stared him down, raising a brow as if asking the question again. Others in the class had begun packing their bags when Ben realized that the class had ended. He had wasted the entire class thinking about the events of the morning. Ben looked down at his watch. It was 2:50. He had sat there for an hour and a half disassociating. Furious at himself, Ben clenched his jaw and packed his satchel.  
"Now remember everyone," Professor Jinn spoke loudly to everyone as they headed out the door, "I'll be emailing you all individual essay assignments based on the class prompt list. Those of you who were not present in class for our first two lectures can find this list posted on the class portal," Jinn gave a pointed look at Ben,  
"I'm expecting you all to really dig deep into yourselves for this assignment".  
Ben swallowed, and this time, he didn't try to hide the fear in his eyes.

Anakin sat at his desk, face slumped against the palm of his hand. The setting sun shone golden rays of light through the room. He glanced at the window. Anakin would never get used how early the sun set in Maine, especially during the winter season. The rays of light danced across the tile floor and over the two beds, one of which wasn't empty anymore. The yellow and cream fur of Artoo shone brightly in the light. For a moment, Anakin felt calm as he stared up at his goldfish.  
"Hey '3PO," He said to the goldfish. C-3PO's eyes bulged out of his head, the gold of his scales shone brightly. As he swam, his long feather-like fins glided through the water. Anakin put his finger up to the glass. C-3PO swam away quickly and hid behind one of the live plants in his tank, his eyes bulging even more in fear. Anakin rolled his eyes and smiled.  
"It's just me buddy," Anakin spoke softly, "Come on out"  
The fish peeked at Anakin from behind the plant. A spark of recognition flickered in C-3PO's eyes. Slowly, the fish swam out of his hiding place and near Anakin's finger.  
"There you go lil guy," He cooed at the fish, smiling a toothy grin, "What'd you say I get you some more hides in your tank?" C-3PO's fins fidgeted as if to say, _Oh yes please! That would be quite lovely, Anakin!_

The door creaked open slowly and Anakin spun around to see the frazzled brown haired head of his roommate peek through the door.  
'Guess you've got someone in common '3PO' Anakin thought to himself as C-3PO swam away at the sight of an intruder.  
"Hey Glasses" Anakin greeted, shifting to sit backwards in his chair. He rested his arms on the top of the chair's backrest, his legs spread open. Anakin could've sworn that his roommate blushed.  
"Oh," His roommate spoke softly, his voice like a whisper in the howling wind, "Sorry, I didn't mean to just barge in and disturb you,"  
Anakin laughed,  
"Dude, you didn't barge in," He told him as his roommate finally stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him, "I feel like a ghost could've opened that door louder than you,"  
Silence.  
'He's obviously uncomfortable,' Anakin thought to himself, 'He looks terrified and I probably didn't make him feel any better...'  
"Hey," Anakin started as his roommate took off his satchel, "I still don't know your name". His roommate turned and faced him, his russet glasses catching the sunlight. He looked miserable with his unkempt hair and his stained sweater. His roommate pursed his lips.  
"Obi-Wan," He said quietly, "Kenobi. Or, sorry, I go by Ben. So, I guess just Ben Kenobi".

Anakin smiled amicably. He wasn't quite sure what to think of Ben so far. He was just so...tightly-wound. Ben took a step towards Anakin, saying,  
"Oh, so, about earlier," Ben pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, "I still feel incredibly bad about your jersey, so I stopped at the admissions office and, well, new students get coupons for the bookstore, so I figured that you could use mine to replace your jersey". Ben rummaged through his wallet and held out a blue and white coupon. Anakin looked at him and then at the stained and discarded jersey that sat in the corner of the room.  
"No, it's-uh, it's okay," Anakin said, scratching the back of his head, "That's yours, and it wasn't really your fault. It was just an accident and-"  
"Please"  
Anakin just stared at him. Ben's blue eyes pleaded desperately, his hands shaking slightly. Silently, Ben held the coupon closer to Anakin.  
'He's acting like he's going to get his head cut off,' Anakin thought to himself. His face softened and he smiled.  
"Alright, fine," Anakin sighed defeatedly as he took the coupon from Ben, "You know it's not a big deal right? Honestly, jerseys can be replaced". Ben turned away and pet Artoo, who began wagging his tail and licked Ben's hands.  
"I know," Ben replied, "But, you just looked really upset and I kind of invaded your space". Anakin stood up and grabbed his shower caddy from under his bed. Ben glanced over and immediately went red.  
"Oh, s-sorry," He stuttered and averted his eyes, "I didn't realize you were-"  
"I have a robe on, Kenobi" Anakin chuckled, looking at the blush spreading down Ben's neck, "And boxers. Don't worry, you didn't invade my space. It _is_ our room now, y'know?"  
With that, Anakin turned on his heel and walked out of the dorm.

Ben slumped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. Artoo hobbled over on his stubby golden legs and sat down on Ben's chest. He took a deep breath, letting his chest rise higher and higher. After a minute, he let the air out of his mouth slowly.  
"Tomorrow's going to be better," Ben said to Artoo, who had once again closed his eyes, "Right, Artoo?"  
Artoo huffed and opened his eyes slightly. _You really think I know? Just get to bed and let me sleep._  
Ben sighed, taking off his glasses. He shut his eyes tight and for a moment, he saw a flash of his mother's smile, felt the warmth of her hug wrapped around him. But when he opened his eyes, there was only the weight of Artoo on his chest and the cold air surrounding him. Tears pricked at his eyes, but Ben blinked, forcing them away.  
'Later,' He promised himself, 'If things get really bad, that's when I'll cry, but not now. It's too soon for me to give up"

Ben never noticed that the pile of socks had been cleaned up and that Anakin's desk was almost spotless. He did, however, feel the cool breeze drift in from the open window, lulling him to sleep.


	2. Coruscant University

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work will *hopefully* be updated once or twice a week. Some characters have been aged down but remain of age (19+).  
> If you have any issues with how characters of color or characters of the LGBTQ+ community are represented in this story, please let me know! I want to be as inclusive as possible, but sadly, there are still some things I may overlook/miss as a white person.  
> -Xelias

He had dreamt of a small town in Indiana. The town was located on a rolling plane of emerald grass, its boundary surrounded with various bushes and shrubs.  
Ben had walked through his hometown of Stewjon, taking in the paved streets with freshly painted yellow lines and the old-fashioned brick buildings. He stared at those buildings, the individual bricks dulled with age. The weathering age of the buildings only added to their aesthetic.  
"1818," A soothing voice said to him, "That's when this building was built. The first one in Stewjon".  
Ben looked to his left and took in the sight of his mother. She looked at him, giving him a toothy grin.  
"Obi," She spoke, her hazel eyes twinkling with mischief, "Do you think we should take a look inside?"  
Ben stared up at the building. It towered over him, the top of his head barely reflected in the yellowing window in front of him. His mother looked down at Ben, a younger version of the man he was now.  
"I-" The young boy stuttered, "I don't think we're allowed to..." His voice trailed off as he took in the nailed wooden boards on the front door, a clear indication that no one was supposed to be in the historic building.  
His mother only smiled.  
"Aren't you curious to see what's inside?" She asked him, kneeling down to look him directly in his eye. Ben shifted, grasping his arm in mild shame.  
"Yes," He admitted, looking down at the ground to avoid his mother's gaze. A chuckle reached his ear, like the lapping of a wave hitting the shoreline of an empty beach.  
"Oh Obi," His mother cooed, gently taking his chin in her hand and lifting it, bringing his face to look at her, "There is no shame in admitting that you want something. In fact..."  
Suddenly, she wrapped her firm arms around him and lifted him off the ground, holding him close to her chest. Ben began to laugh as she twirled and spun him around in the empty sidewalk.  
"You should spin around!" She shouted, her voice rising in a crescendo of joy, "You should shout! Announce to the world that you are _here_ and that you will do everything that you set your mind to!"  
Ben's mother stopped spinning, sparking the beginning of the end of her orchestral display of love.  
"Obi," She said, hugging him close to her. He wrapped his arms around her neck and burrowed his face into her shoulder, listening to the reverberations of her voice,  
"You can do _anything_ that you put your mind to. All you have to do is believe that you deserve the things you want"  
"That's all?" Ben asked, his voice barely a whisper on her shoulder. His mother pulled him back so she could look into his eyes. She smiled fondly at him, her eyes full of understanding.  
"That's all." 

Pine wafted through the open window of the dorm, rousing Ben from a deep sleep. He sat up in his bed, the old bedframe creaking slightly. Artoo stretched at the end of the bed and yawned.  
His pink tongue lolled out of his mouth lazily as the light hit his tiny frame. Ben smiled.  
Mornings were always his favorite time of the day. He was calm because nothing bad had happened yet.  
Most bad things happen in the afternoon. They were too tired to cause havoc in the morning.  
Ben turned his head, straining to look at Anakin's bed. He hoped that the creaking of the bed hadn't woken his roommate. Ben was sure that the new noise would be different to someone who had lived alone for the past week, but to his surprise, Anakin was still asleep.  
The performing arts major laid on his stomach, his head turned towards the window with his lips parted. The black fleece blanket had looked like it lost a fight during the night.  
Bunched and wrinkled near Anakin's hips, the blanket covered his boxers and his right leg. His left leg hung off the side of his bed, his big toe almost touching the ground.  
Ben hadn't realized how tall he was.  
'It looks like he barely fits in that bed,' Ben thought to himself, taking in the sight of Anakin sleeping soundly. He blinked then, realizing that Anakin was wearing boxers. Only boxers.

The morning sunlight shone through the window, casting golden rays of light to fall on Anakin's tan back. Ben watched, mesmerized by the way Anakin's well-defined muscles rippled through his skin.  
The width of his shoulder blades took up most of the bed. Ben felt the urge to reach out and touch the rock-hard muscles, to feel how soft his skin was. He blushed as the thought of running his hands down Anakin's back nestled itself deep into his mind.  
Anakin faced the window, his chestnut hair feathered around his neck. Ben sucked in a breath as he looked at Anakin's delicate face, how his hair had fallen gently onto his eyelids.  
Ben grinned as Anakin let out a soft snore and pushed his face deeper into his pillow. Reluctantly, Ben ripped his eyes away from Anakin only to find Artoo staring at his from his bed.  
Artoo's eyes narrowed.  
' _That's not a good idea_ ' He seemed to say. Ben rolled his eyes, but deep down, he agreed.  
"Let's get you some food," He said quietly to Artoo as he walked towards his food bowl. Gingerly, Artoo hopped down from Ben's bed and waited as Ben scooped dry kibble into his dish.  
Ben rubbed Artoo's head as the dog began to eat, his blue collar tinging against the metal bowl.  
"Breakfast time already?" A low voice ground out. Ben whirled around and saw Anakin sitting upright in his bed, his hair messy and light bags under his eyes.  
"Sorry," Ben apologized, "I didn't mean to wake you"  
Anakin yawned, closing his eyes tight and stretching his arms above his head.  
Ben tried not to stare as Anakin's pectoral and ab muscles flexed briefly.  
"You didn't wake me," Anakin told him in a heavy yawn and gestured to Artoo, "Little piggy over there did"  
Artoo didn't stop eating, ignoring the jab from his master's roommate. Anakin got up from his bed and silently walked towards his fish tank.  
'I shouldn't be gawking at him' Ben thought to himself, 'He's not some animal that I can just stare at all the time'  
"C'mon 3PO," Anakin muttered, "Where are you?"  
Ben glanced back to see Anakin looking for the shy goldfish.  
"Does he normally hide a lot?" He found himself asking, surprising himself. Perhaps he was just getting more comfortable in his environment, even after the series of events the day before. Anakin chuckled.  
"Hiding _is_ his normal," He sighed as he sprinkled some pellets into the top of the tank. The tiny pellets slowly drifted to the bottom, settling on the black sand.  
"You have sand in your tank?" Ben mused, "I thought that was for like, really big tanks"  
Anakin turned towards Ben and offered a friendly smile. He shrugged.  
"Trust me," He said grimacing, "I wouldn't use sand if it wasn't good C-3PO. I hate the stuff, but it does make it easier to clean"  
Ben nodded thoughtfully. He supposed he should show some interest in his roommate's hobbies just to be polite.  
He stood up from his place on the floor and looked through his dresser, trying to decide what to wear for the day.  
After some deliberation, he decided on a cream colored button down and some dark blue jeans.  
'The brown jacket should go nicely with this,' He told himself, searching for the birthday gift his father had given to him.  
Meanwhile, Anakin simply snatched a faded ACDC shirt from the ground and hopped awkwardly into some black skinny jeans. Ben had seen the performance Anakin had done as he tried to hobble into his pants and couldn't suppress a laugh.  
Anakin had shot him a look.  
"Laugh all you want, Glasses," He warned, "My ass looks great in these jeans"  
Ben had simply looked at the ground after Anakin had glared at him. He tried to focus on packing his satchel for the day, but he kept berating himself for laughing.  
Anakin frowned, had half-heartedly expected him to look.  
"Hey Ben," He blurted as Ben slung his satchel across his torso, "I was thinking, I mean, you just got here"  
Ben titled his head, confused.  
"Yeah," He agreed, "I did"  
Anakin cleared his throat awkwardly saying,  
"Well, I figured if you want, I could show you around campus?"  
The offer hung in the air. It was tantalizing.  
Ben wanted so desperately to take it, to taste a little of the life that Anakin lived each day  
_All you have to do is believe that you deserve the things you want_  
The words echoed in Ben's head. He waited for that bravery to come, waited for that little voice to whisper to him, to tell him to truly deserved to be friends with Anakin, to walk with him and banter. He waited to feel the confidence in his heart.  
It never came.  
"I-" He started, "I-sorry, I can't, at least, not today"  
Ben could've sworn that Anakin's face drooped. When he didn't answer, Ben explained,  
"I need to go to the library. Admissions told me it was a good place to start looking for a job".  
Anakin nodded, but said nothing. The air felt tense, smothering Ben, making him feel as though he couldn't breathe.  
He bent down and pet Artoo, taking in the soft fur and the calmness of his only friend.  
"Well, I've got a class at noon," Anakin finally spoke, his voice still low and groggy, "I guess I'll just go to the dining hall and grab some breakfast. I'll see you later?"  
Ben looked up at the question. Hope shone in Anakin's pale blue eyes, almost like he wanted Ben to join him.  
_You're just going to bother him_  
_Just stay away from him, he'll be better off that way_  
"Yeah, I'll see you later"  
The hope flickered out of Anakin's eyes. 

The trees on campus were taller than anything Ben had seen in his life. They towered over the students walking under them, sprinkling their leaves and pines down on them. Ben liked to think they were gifts or maybe even blessings. It was a small comfort for him. He looked at the trees while he walked, trying to identify the specific species. It was something he and his brother used to do while exploring the nearby forests outside their hometown. He studied the bark of the trees, looking at their hue and attempting to discern their texture from the walkways. If he had more time, he would have gladly taken a moment to stop and examine them up close.

He supposed that would make him look a bit odd though.  


Instead, he continued on his journey to the library, occasionally slowing to stare at some trees he found unusual. The leaves crunched under his feet as he walked.  
'It's not even September' Ben thought to himself, 'The leaves fall earlier here'  
Maine was a strange place. At first, he didn't think it would be too much of a difference. Indiana wasn't that far away, was it? He and his father had driven there, so it couldn't have been that long of a drive.  
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it had been one of the longest trips of his life. One of the only trips of his life, in fact.  
'It was more than twelve hours,' Ben recalled, trying to remember who drove for the majority of the trip.  
Geese squawked overhead, bringing him out of his thoughts. Even the geese here were louder than the ones at home.  
Ben looked up, watching the large birds fly across the campus until they were out of sight. They passed over the pointed white rooftops of the Honors Hall, where the most studious among them lived.  
It was a large hexagonal shaped building with white accents and elongated windows that allowed for an optimal amount of light at all times. He had never been inside, but Ben assumed that the windows were placed in the common area, so most students could study there instead of in their rooms.  
A lump found its home in Ben's throat. He had been in the Honors Hall at his previous university. With them.  
He swallowed and looked down at the ground. His body had been on autopilot, continuing to walk while he got lost in the maze of thoughts running through his head.  
The concrete walkway evolved into an ornate cobblestone path, expanding around a wide, open area with benches and tables. A few trees were planted in designated sections, interrupting the cobblestone pattern.  
The circular pavilion extended towards three buildings, which Ben realized were the main social areas on campus.  
The buildings were all connected by glass tunnel structures. He watched students walk through the tunnels from one of the buildings to the next, carrying books and carryout containers of food.  
It didn't take long to realize what those buildings were. The building in the middle sported a large symbol above its entrance. The logo of Coruscant University was considered to be a little fantastical according to most websites.  
Ben had read multiple articles about the university when he was accepted. From their unorthodox majors ranging from general philosophy to aviation and military technologies to articles about their exceptional hockey team, Ben scoured them all, memorizing as much information as he could.  
That was part of the reason he had turned down Anakin's offer. He had already memorized the campus map.  
The logo of Coruscant University hung on the front of the campus center, where the bookstore, offices, and some classrooms were located. It wasn't a large building compared to the other two surrounding it, but it was fitting that the logo had been hung there.  
It was one of many mysteries about the university that intrigued Ben. The winged logo with a blade-like shape in the middle. The blade's guard and hilt looked to be replaced by some sort of star-like shape.  
Ben cocked his head as he stared at it. It just seemed so...odd in comparison to other universities. But then again, his old university's logo wasn't any better.  
"Freshman huh?"  
Ben jumped and whirled around, startled by the voice behind him. A woman stood before him, her arms crossed as she put her weight on her left leg.  
His eyes focused on her hair. It was black with bright white and blue highlights, coiled into two long, duel braids that extended past her shoulders.  
'That's new,' He thought to himself. It wasn't that a woman had never approached him before it was just that, well, he thought he gave off a pretty obvious dark academia gay-vibe.  
"No, uh," Ben answered, adjusting his satchel, "Third-year actually. Junior, I suppose. I'm a transfer"  
The quizzical look on the woman's face told Ben that she wanted to know more.  
"From Pennsylvania," He rambled, "Well, I'm not from Pennsylvania, I'm from Indiana but I went to school in Pennsylvania and-" The woman started to chuckle. Ben gripped the strap of his satchel.  
"You don't have to explain yourself," She laughed, "I'm not interrogating you, don't worry".  
The two looked at each other, Ben examining her features.  
Her skin a lovely shade of dark brown, like the color of the setting sun as it disappeared over the horizon. She wore a dark navy sweater with grey slacks and black boots. Two bracelets caught Ben's eye. One was a bright green while the other was the purest white he'd ever seen. Both popped against her skin brilliantly as he looked.  
"You should take a picture," The woman said dryly, narrowing her eyes, "It'd last longer"  
Ben blinked and straightened, holding his satchel closer to his chest.  
"Oh, I-I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, a little too loudly. A few passing students glanced in their direct, but simply turned away after determining that nothing special was happening.  
"I didn't mean to stare, it's just a habit. I do that a lot. I guess it's just kind of my way of taking everything in?" The woman shrugged.  
"To each his own" She said simply. She eyed him up and down, scrutinizing, deciding if he was worth her time.  
Ben stood like a statue.  
'Do the people here just look everyone up and down?' He panicked to himself, 'I guess it's not as bad as just staring...'  
The woman held out her hand, the string bracelets dangling slightly off her wrist.  
"I'm Ahsoka Tano," She introduced herself, "Mechanical engineering major and women and gender studies minor"  
Ben just stood there, staring at the outstretched hand. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.  
"I don't bite," She joked, this time giving him a friendly smile. Ben took her hand, giving a firm shake.  
"Ben Kenobi," He replied, "I'm an education major with a minor in English and philosophy"  
Ahsoka whistled, looking at his satchel.  
"Damn," She commented, drawing out her words, "I _never_ would've guessed"  
Ben laughed, taking his hand away from hers. For the first time since he arrived, he felt almost comfortable. Ahsoka looked around, staring at the three buildings in front of them.  
"So," She started, pointing at the buildings, "Where're you off to?"  
"Library"  
"Shocker," Ahsoka crossed her arms again, studying Ben. "Which one is it?"  
"What?" Ben asked  
"The library," Ahsoka explained, "Which building is it?"  
Ben looked at the three buildings in front of them. The one directly in front of him was the campus center, he remembered that. The one to the left was a three story building with multiple windows that took up entire walls. Through them, he could see tables and chairs on the third floor. On the second floor, he made out what he thought was some sort of study longue. 

"Well," Ben began, "I'm pretty sure that one-," He pointed to the building to the left of the campus center, "is the dining hall. So, I guess the library is-" He stopped as soon as he saw the building to the right of the campus center.  
'How did I not see that?' He thought to himself in disbelief.  
The library was a wonderful sight. The white bricked staircase leading up to the building had an ornate black railing running down the middle of it. Ben's gaze traveled up and up and up as he looked at just how far the white columns went. He had to take a step back to see the black tiled roof at the top, where he even spotted what looked like a small reading window.  
"Wow," Ahsoka mused as she watched Ben's pupils dilate, "You just found the love of your life".  
Ben nodded absentmindedly, not knowing that his jaw had dropped. Ahsoka reached over and pushed his jaw back up gently.  
"Thanks..." Ben said, his voice trailing off, still in awe of the library. Ahsoka looked at the awestruck boy standing next to her and smirked.  
"You're drooling," She teased, causing Ben to throw a hand up to his mouth instantly. She laughed and put her hands up,  
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding" Ahsoka told him. Ben glared at her, but felt a weight lift from his chest.  
'This isn't bad,' He thought to himself, 'She's acting like...a friend'  
"Aren't you gonna go in?" She asked him, shifting from one leg to the other. Ben bit his lip and looked back at the building. The towering building stood menacingly before him, challenging him to come closer.  
Ben was sure he would lose whatever battle awaited for him.  
"I'm just nervous," He admitted, "I wanted to try to apply for a job there, but somebody else probably needs it more than I do right now"  
Ahsoka crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.  
"Look," She let out a deep breath, "I know we've just met, but you obviously have some self-esteem issues. You remind me of someone else I know"  
Ben turned away sheepishly, letting the heat rise to his face.  
"But," Ahsoka continued, "You can't say that someone deserves a job more than you do. Sure, maybe they do, maybe they don't, but you can't seriously believe that you don't deserve to even give yourself a chance. You've got to at least _try_. You deserve that at least".  
Ben looked back at Ahsoka, at the genuine gleam in her morning eyes. Everything about her was golden. She was pure, genuine. A golden friend.  
Ben squeezed his satchel, looking back at the library.  
"You're right," He told her softly, feeling a flicker of courage turning into a flame, "I should at least give it my all"  
Ahsoka grinned. Suddenly, a rock-hard slap on his back momentarily stunned him.  
"You got this!" She exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up and he stumbled forward. Ben quickly caught up with his feet and started towards the library.  
"Oh, and by the way!" Ahsoka called after him, "I'm an RA at Shili Hall, so stop by sometime, okay?"  
Ben smiled as he turned and gave her a thumbs up in response. He scurried up the white brick staircase, pulling himself forward on the ornate black handrails.  
It was going to be fine. 

Until he met Ms. Jocasta Nu. The head librarian at Coruscant University. Ben knew something was terribly wrong the minute he had asked for Ms. Nu, when the young librarian's eyes had gone wide and his face paled, and when the students in the immediate area found someplace else to be when Ms. Nu eventually came out to speak with him. Her thick jawline and sharp cheekbones stood out prominently on her creased face. Like the pages of a well-loved novel, her face looked worn, with frown lines and crinkles in the corner of her wide eyes.  
Ben faced the woman as he tried to muster any left over courage Ahsoka had given him. Ms. Nu raised her thin, white eyebrows at him.  
"You're the one who is inquiring about a position here, I presume?" She made direct eye contact with him, pursing her lips together.  
"Yes, ma'am," Ben answered quietly, "My name is Ben Kenobi. I was hoping to-"  
"Your hair is in a disheveled state," Ms. Nu interrupted, circling him like a hawk looking for her next meal, "And your pants are extremely wrinkled"  
Ben wasn't sure how to answer. He did recognize the fact that his pants weren't in the best shape, but he had just moved in the day before, and he hadn't gotten around to ironing anything yet. His hair though...  
'What's wrong with my hair?' He asked himself, 'I brushed it this morning...Maybe the wind messed it up?'  
Ms. Nu circled back to face him. Her eyebrows pushed together as she stared at him, her lips drawn in a thin line. Ben felt the bead of sweat run down his neck.  
"You live on campus, correct?" She inquired. Ben nodded.  
"Yes"  
"And you would like to work when?" Ben went through a mental list of his classes.  
"Um," He hesitated, "Weekends and Wednesdays should work. Mornings, I mean. Wednesday and weekend mornings, ma'am"  
Ms. Nu hummed to herself, looking at the boy in front of her. She motioned him to follow her with her finger. Ben did as he was told and followed her to the back of the library. Rows and rows of shelves lined the hallways, all stacked with various papers and books. File folders held the most important documents together, but as Ben looked around, he realized that he was looking at organized chaos.  
'I'm never going to be able to find anything,' He thought to himself miserably, 'She'll think I'm an idiot'  
"Are you aware of the system we use to organize books and papers?" She inquired, looking back at him as she marched onward.  
'For an old lady,' Ben thought, 'She still moves fast'  
"You use a system of letters and numbers," Ben explained, almost tripping over his feet as he tried to catch up with her, "The call numbers or letters designate the topic. Books or papers in the same topic category are then arranged by author"  
He could've sworn he saw a hint of a approval on those paper thin lips. Finally, she showed him a few rooms in the back, briefly explaining what each was for. From photocopiers to dark rooms, the library had everything Ben could ever dream of. The two of them toured the library wordlessly, Ms. Nu only speaking to point out important aspects of the rooms they wandered into or to say, "You won't need to come in here".  
Ben wasn't sure how long they had been walking when they reached the entrance of the library, where his interrogation had initially begun.  
"What is your favorite novel?" Ms. Nu suddenly asked him. Ben blinked. It wasn't an odd question given the circumstance, but it was a job interview. He didn't think his preferences would be called into question.  
"I don't have one" He answered truthfully. When Ms. Nu raised an eyebrow, he elaborated,  
"I've read a lot of novels from the most unbelievable fiction to cut and dry nonfiction, and I like certain aspects of different novels. Nothing is a perfect work, so I feel like picking a favorite is just putting an author on a pedestal. A good book is just one that was written on a day that an author found the right words".  
When Ms. Nu said nothing, Ben accepted the fact that he botched the interview as soon as he answered her. Shifting his weight back and forth, he filled the silence.  
"Thank you for showing me around, I really appreciate you taking the time to do so"  
This time, Ms. Nu smiled.  
"You'll start this weekend," She instructed him, "Students rarely offer to work in the mornings, so you'll most likely be by yourself for most shifts. I'll come in during your first three shifts to help you get acquainted with how we run things here, but after that, I'm afraid you'll be on your own"  
Ben couldn't hide his crooked smile and the fidgeting of his fingers.  
"Thank you!" He told her, "Really, thank you! I promise you won't regret this, I'll work incredibly hard and I promise I won't-"  
"Mr. Kenobi," Ms. Nu cut him off, "This is a library, I'll remind you to keep your voice down"  
Ben immediately stood up straighter and smiled sheepishly.  
"Sorry ma'am..."

"Practice starts on Monday"  
Anakin cracked open an eyelid to look at the hockey team captain. Two shadowed figures stood above him, their features blotted out by the sun. Anakin was sprawled out on the lawn outside the sports facility, enjoying a break after an exhausting history lecture.  
"Oh? Why on earth are you telling me that?"  
One of the figures tossed his backpack at Anakin, which hit him square in the chest.  
"Shut up jackass," The man growled, plopping next to Anakin, who was now sitting up.  
"Nice to see you too Cody," Anakin greeted, stretching his arms out. He looked up at the figure still standing, his features now illuminated by the sun.  
"You just gonna stand there all day?" He asked him, raising his brows  
"Yeah, c'mon Rex," Cody patted the ground next to him, "Get all comfy-cozy with your bros"  
Rex rolled his eyes and sat down next to Cody, leaning against one of the few planted trees on the sports lawn. Multiple students were playing mock games of lacrosse and football. A few girls to their right were throwing a frisbee back and forth. Despite all the noise, Anakin felt like it was a nice place to sit and relax. If he was surrounded by people, that was enough for him.  
"Why're we starting so early?" Anakin asked the captain, who was currently looking a long list on his phone. Rex held up his phone, gesturing to the list.  
"The newbies are why," He answered, rubbing his square chin, "We've got a lot this year, a lot more than we've had in a while"  
"At least we'll have spares when one of the kids loses his teeth," Cody chimed in, pulling a bag of chips out of his orange backpack.  
"The point is," Rex continued, his brown eyes darting to the chip bag Cody pulled out, "We've got a lot of work to do. These guys need to be trained and learn our formations before our first game"  
Anakin held his hand out for a chip, which Cody promptly understood. Wordlessly, he scooped a handful out of the bag and placed them in Anakin's hand.  
"Thanks"  
"No problem"  
"Guys, practice starts on _Monday_ ," Rex huffed. Anakin rolled his eyes. He should've known that Rex would be the one to end his day of relaxation.  
"A few chips aren't gonna kill anyone, Rex," He grumbled through a mouth full of chips.  
"You say that _now_ ," Rex countered, "But when Monday comes around and you're out of breath and sore, don't come crying to me"  
Cody looked at the chip bag hesitantly.  
"I guess you're right..." Cody's voice trailed off as he started to roll the top of the bag up. Anakin snatched it away from him.  
"I'll risk it" He said, opening the bag once more.  
"Fine. Your funeral"  
The boys sat in silence for a while, the only sounds coming from the other students playing lighthearted games around them and the occasional frustrated huff from Rex.  
For as long as Anakin had known him, Rex had always taken hockey seriously. Perhaps even more seriously than his own life, which was concerning at some points. It was like Rex have been built for the sport. His long legs and muscular arms allowed for great control on the ice, something Anakin had had to work at gaining for most of his freshman year.  
Cody, on the other hand, wasn't originally built for the ice. He had tried multiple sports during his freshman year, one year before Anakin had attended the university, but none of them had stuck. It wasn't until he got on the ice that he realized that was where he belonged, right alongside Rex.  
Well, not right alongside Rex. Cody was a gifted defender with a sharp eye and fast reflexes. The coach of the hockey team had tried Cody on multiple positions until they unveiled his talent for goalkeeping. So, Cody ended up being one of the best goalies the team had ever had.  
Rex and Anakin were in the thick of it most times. Rex played center, but he was also a skilled defensive player. Most of the time though, Rex set up the play as center and had a gift for winning the initial faceoffs. Whenever he won them, Anakin was always there as his right wing, skating slightly ahead to find the best angle to send the puck sliding into the opposing team's net.  
The three of them made a great team, at least Anakin thought so. Rex had always been hard on the two of them, a little more so than the rest of the team.  
"It's just because he knows our potential," Cody had told Anakin after tensions rose during a practice, "He wants us to always have our A-game. Sometimes it's a downfall of his I guess, but he just wants us to be good".  
Unlike Cody and Anakin, Rex had been scouted for the Sky Torrents. He played hockey religiously in high school, performing and pushing himself to the absolute max.  
But, no matter what happened between the three of them, Cody, Rex, and Anakin were brothers. Whatever the trouble was, whatever one of them stupidly got themselves into, each of them knew that they could call on the others to help.  
Cody pulled Rex's blue hoodie over his head.  
"You're gonna go crazy staring at that all day," He teased the captain. Cody sat up straight, acting like a general in war, "As vice-captain, I command you to put your phone away and stop looking at that fucking list"  
Rex couldn't suppress a smile as he tossed his phone on the grass.  
"Alright, alright"  
Anakin crumpled the empty chip bag, making a mental note to throw it in a bin on the way back to his dorm.  
_His dorm_  
"My roommate moved in yesterday"  
Rex and Cody looked at him.  
"How is he?" Rex asked as he smacked Cody's orange sleeve reaching for his light blond hair. Cody crossed his arms, pouting.  
"He's...."Anakin hesitated, thinking of a way to explain the rambling, anxious man that had spilled coffee all over his jersey yesterday, "...nice?"  
"You don't sound confident"  
"Why'd he show up on a Thursday?" Cody interjected, hugging his knees close to his chest, "Seems like a random day to decide to start college"  
"Well, he didn't _just_ start," Anakin corrected, "He's a third year"  
"Even weirder. Why change schools so late in the game?"  
Anakin didn't admit that he'd been wondering that himself. Why would Ben, obviously a studious, reserved and handsome young man just change schools for his third year?  
"What's he like anyway?"  
"Well," Anakin began, "He's clumsy. Spilled coffee all over my jersey yesterday"  
Rex's eyes shot up.  
"He did _what_?" The rage in Rex's mahogany eyes sent a shiver of terror down Anakin's spine.  
"He said he-" Cody started, before getting smacked by Rex.  
"I heard what he said. I just-That was your team jersey, wasn't it?"  
Anakin nodded.  
"Bastard" Rex muttered.  
"Hey!" Anakin found himself saying, "He was really apologetic, and he even offered to pay for it. He gave me a bookstore coupon for it"  
Cody held in a giggle as Rex's face flushed with rage.  
"That's not something you can even _buy_ from the bookstore!" He shouted. Rex paused, taking in a deep breath, then spoke calmly, "We'll just order you a new one tomorrow"  
Anakin smiled apologetically and said,  
"Should I pay for it?"  
Rex waved his hand that meant, _Don't worry about it_  
"So," Cody revived the conversation, "Besides being a klutz and now Rex's new archenemy, how is he?"  
"He's nice," Anakin repeated, "He just seems a little off. Like, he acts like I'm going to rip his head off if he says something wrong or makes a mistake. Oh! He's got an emotionally support dog too"  
"Having a dog doesn't make him a weirdo" Cody interrupted as Rex nodded.  
"I never said that, it's just that-well, he just seems really anxious. I just want to help him break out of his shell and take him around campus but he keeps rejecting me. And then he _barely_ speaks to me. It's like I'm some sort of intruder in my own room"  
Cody's brown eyes twinkled with mischief.  
"He keeps rejecting you?" Rex jeered with equal mischief.  
Anakin covered his eyes with his arm.  
"Does somebody have a _crush_?" Cody teased in a sing-song voice. Rex cocked his head, confused.  
"I thought you were with-"  
"No," Anakin interjected, "That's just a..." His voice trailed off as he realized he didn't have an answer.  
"Just a what?"  
Anakin was silent. He wasn't quite sure what they were. At first, it was mutual longing for one another, but now...  
The boys knew not to pry any further. They didn't have the time to any  
way.  
"Well well well, if it isn't the kings of the Sky Torrents themselves"  
The three of them turned, and instantly started grinning.  
"Ahsoka!" Cody hopped up immediately, grabbing the short woman by her waist and lifting her up. Ahsoka started laughing.  
"Oh put me down, you big softie!" She shrieked.  
Rex chuckled beside Anakin at the display. Cody relented, putting Ahsoka back onto the grass, successfully ruffling her hair as he did so. She shot a playful glare at him and threw her arm out to smack him. Cody, seeing what was coming, wisely ran.  
Ahsoka raised a brow at Rex.  
"You gonna go get him for me?" She asked the captain, "He's not worth smudging my eyeliner over"  
Rex grinned as he stood up. Mockingly, he saluted her.  
"Yes ma'am," He declared before taking off in a mad sprint after the vice-captain. Cody shrieked as he saw the huge form of Rex heading for him.  
Anakin and Ahsoka laughed as they watched the two of them chase each other over the lawn. Ahsoka looked at Anakin, her eyes crinkling in happiness.  
"Hey Skyguy"  
"Hey Snips"  



	3. The Sky and The Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work will *hopefully* be updated once or twice a week. Some characters have been aged down but remain of age (19+).  
> If you have any issues with how characters of color or characters of the LGBTQ+ community are represented in this story, please let me know! I want to be as inclusive as possible, but sadly, there are still some things I may overlook/miss as a white person.  
> -Xelias

Mr. Kenobi,  
I am writing to inform you of your prompt assignment for your semester-long project. Based on your participation and performance during the last lecture, I have decided to assign you the prompt: "What Are You?". As per the instructions found in the syllabus, you must write a three page essay (four page maximum) that fully explores the philosophical themes of the prompt and how it relates to you.  
Since you had extenuating circumstances that caused you to miss the first two lectures of the class, I will briefly summarize the main points of what you should be focusing on for some parts of your essay:  
First and fore-  
"Ugh, booooring,"  
Ben shot a look at Anakin, who stood over his shoulder with hands on his hips. Anakin was looking at Ben's laptop, his eyes roaming over the email Professor Jinn had sent to him.  
"He's seriously giving you an outline of previous lectures?"  
Ben shrugged, his eyes roaming the screen.  
"I guess he's trying to be nice," Ben hummed, biting his lip as he read. Anakin raised an eyebrow,  
"You consider that to be nice?"  
Ben didn't answer.  
First and foremost, you should be aware that this is a _Philosophy of Self_ class, which means that you will be looking deep inside yourself in order to explore identity, awareness, and agency.  
Normally, I advise students to write a section on each of these topics, normally a page for each. However, in your circumstances, I would highly advise you to make notes on yourself before you begin writing your paper. Specifically, for your assignment, I would be very interested in hearing your views on the three points described above (Identity, awareness, and agency).  
Please let me know if you have any questions,  
Prof. Jinn  
"Geez," Anakin yawned, walking over to his desk, "Sounds like a lot for one paper"  
"It's a term long paper," Ben explained as he turned in his seat. Anakin had placed a finger in C-3PO's tank, causing the bug-eyed fish to take shelter in one of the tank's numerous wood hides.  
"Coward," Anakin mumbled, but raised his voice to Ben, "I know that, but what're you supposed to do about that right now? It's only the beginning of the semester."  
Ben's face contorted itself in confusion.  
" _Only_ the beginning of the semester?" He asked incredulously as he shut his eyes and squeezed his temple, "The whole point of a term-long paper is to, y'know, work on it for the whole term, you realize that don't you?"  
Silence.  
"Well, don't yo-"  
He choked. Color rose on Ben's face as he caught Anakin watching him. A wicked grin had been painted on that beautiful face of his.  
"Well, well, well," He purred as he plucked his hand out of the fish tank. Water dripped onto the carpet, each falling droplet synced itself with Ben's increasing heart rate. Anakin slunk towards Ben, his piercing blue eyes ripping holes into Ben's flesh. Ben straightened himself, a wave of determination washing over him. He would not let Anakin make him feel inferior. 

Their blue eyes met, the sky meeting the ocean. It was the natural hue of water, of the sky, of the tears that fall from one's face. The color of the sadness that made home in Ben's heart. The color of the fear that nestled deep in Anakin's chest. For a moment, that sadness, that fear, the secrets of the two boys were evident in their eyes. Ben wanted to shred the fear he saw in Anakin's eyes, to bare his teeth into that infestation that had slithered into his heart. He wanted to grasp at it, to hold it close and hear the crunch of its neck as he broke it. Ben craved it. He salivated at the mere thought of taking the wretched thing and destroying it, to get it out of Anakin. As their eyes met, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi saw their own hearts reflected in each other. 

Anakin towered over him. Ben set his jaw as he tried not to take in his scent. The seductive scent of him curled itself into Ben's nostrils. Under a layer of the bitter sweat and aquarium chemicals, Ben took in the smell of lemon. It was a spark, the lip-pursing, eye watering scent that caused his tongue to want _more_. Anakin's smell took him to an open field, where long grasses flowed in the wind on a clear summer day. He was the spark of sun in the calmness of the scene, the light that shed over the otherwise mundane day. Ben opened himself to it. His arms spread wide, craving the warmth and light of that sun, that man. 

"Glasses finally learnt how to speak," Anakin spoke ever so softly, leaning in to his reserved roommate, "And one of the first things he says is confrontational"  
Ben lowered his head, trying to avoid Anakin's piercing gaze. 

It had been lowered for a mere moment before Ben found his head being thrust up. Anakin's thumb pressed into Ben's cheek as his hand gripped either side of his face. Ben raised his hand, grasping for Anakin's wrist. 

Ben had to get Anakin to let go, _had_ to get his hand away from-  
"Come now," Anakin pouted, gripping Ben's face harder, "Don't you think you should be punished for how you spoke to me?"

A shiver ran down Ben's spine as Anakin slid his thumb up and down his cheek. His lips curled into a grin that made Ben go stiff.  
"What's the matter, Kenobi?" Anakin came closer and closer until his breath was hot against Ben's face, "Ran out of words for today?"

Ben swallowed, unable to find the words to combat Anakin's onslaught.  
Please.  
Please come closer, Anakin.  
_Please_  
Anakin's eyes were heavy, his pupils dilated as he stared at Ben. He couldn't take this anymore. He couldn't bear how far away Anakin was from him.

Ben sprang out of his seat, the world around him blurring together. Anakin lost his grip of Ben's face as he staggered back. The two were entangled in one another's arms as they spiraled to the floor. With a thud, Anakin sprawled out on the floor of their dorm room. Soon after, Ben fell on top of him, his arms on either side of Anakin's head. He held himself up as he breathlessly took in the sight.  
Anakin Skywalker, with his piercing blue eyes and long, ruffled chestnut hair, was now on the floor of their dorm.  
With Ben Kenobi on top of him.  
Anakin huffed a laugh, opening his mouth to make a witty remark. Ben lowered himself, cutting off the sentence before it had even begun.  
"I suppose I _have_ run out of words," Ben mused, brushing Anakin's lips with his own, "Why don't you give me some?"

"Earth to Ben, come in Ben"  
_Snap_  
Ben blinked, the world fuzzy and blurred like a far off dream. He squinted, fumbling for his glasses.  
"S-Sorry," He stuttered, willing his frenzied heart to calm itself, "Did you say something?"  
Anakin crossed his arms and threw a pointed look at the flustered roommate.  
"I _said_ ," He repeated, "That I do understand what a term paper means, but you're really expected to start working on it now?"  
Oh, right. The term paper.  
_That's_ what they were talking about.  
Ben's heart sank, his stomach turning leaden.  
"Yeah, I guess"  
"Are you okay?"  
How could he explain what had just happened? How could he possibly tell his roommate-who he had _just_ met-that he had zoned out and imagined the two of them entwined in each other's lips? Shame bubbled up inside Ben.  
'Why am I even thinking like this?' He asked himself ruefully. Artoo waddled to him, nestling by his feet. The dog studied him.  
_It's probably because you're a raging homosexual that has a crush on Anakin Skywalker_  
Sometimes, Ben really wished he had picked the _other_ dog at the shelter instead of Artoo.

Anakin knelt by Artoo, gently stroking the dog's soft fur. His eyes travelled up to Ben, who stared off into nothing. Gently, Anakin placed a hand on Ben's thigh as he said,  
"Hey, Ben,"  
He jerked into consciousness, his eyes bolting to Anakin's hand.  
"Would you like to come meet my friends?"  
Ben was silent for a moment.  
"Y-Your friends?"  
Anakin held back a smile. Talking to Ben sometimes felt like, well, talking to someone who was new to the world. New to trust.  
"Yeah," He nodded, using Ben's leg to pull himself from the floor, "We're going out for pizza tonight. You should join us."  
Ben bit his lip, weighing the pros and cons of the invitation.  
_You just need to believe that you deserve the things you want_  
"You'd like them!" Anakin encouraged, throwing on a black leather jacket, "Y'see, there's Rex. He's pretty uptight, but he's thoughtful if you pose a question to him, and he's a really great guy. Oh, _and_ there's Cody. He'll probably freak you out at first but he's such a good guy. He'll make a bunch of jokes and terrible puns, but seriously, don't even ask about what he likes to watch. The guy'll go on a twenty-minute rant of whatever anime he's watching now. And-"  
Ben felt the heat rise to his face. When Anakin spoke of his friends, his eyes twinkled with a light that Ben had never seen before. He became animated and rambled, his words tumbling over each other trying to get out of that perfect mouth. It was almost like...  
Almost like Ben.  
"When're we going?" Ben unknowingly cut Anakin off as he zoned back into the present. Anakin grinned, his teeth gleaming in the harsh dorm light.  
"Now."


End file.
